Goodman’s ‘Cut Out’ on Exhibit at E&H Nov. 3 – Dec. 8

Cut Out” is the title of an exhibition by painter Robert Goodman at The 1912 Gallery of Emory & Henry College from Wednesday, Nov. 3 through Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Goodman will speak about his work during an Artalk on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 pm in the Board of Visitors Lounge of the E&H Van Dyke Center. The gallery, located at the Emory Train Depot, will open at 6:30 p.m. for viewing and after the Artalk for a reception with the artist.

The large, non-objective paintings the viewer will encounter in this exhibition are filled with many layers of color resulting from seemingly frenetic and energized sessions of mark making. However, the varied strokes of oil, acrylic and spray paint are applied in a very painstaking manner. Goodman says that he “often uses calligraphic marks that sit on the surface of the image [because] it is very much part of the idea of thinking an image can be both flat and dimensional.”

Many areas of interest in each piece might appear disparate when viewed in isolation, and yet Goodman is intensely aware of the entire composition coming together as a whole. The work references the unified surface of a Photoshop collage, curious spatial relationships and compartmentalization. Goodman reflects, “I really like to see how many different types of painting ideas I can throw at the work. That said, the notion of bringing a work together is just as important as pulling it apart.”

Goodman holds a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Ohio. During his five-year undergraduate tenure his studies also included attending the Edinburgh College of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland. Goodman earned his MFA from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. During that period of study he also attended Temple University Rome in Italy. In 2008 he was awarded the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship for Painting. Goodman lectures as a visiting artist throughout the US and his work is widely exhibited and published in national journals.

Both the exhibit and the Artalk are free of charge. The 1912 Gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, noon-5 pm or by appointment. Call 276.944.6866 for additional information or to make an appointment.